BUILDING NEWS
Questions, Answers and Clarifications
Members of the Building sub-committee have had a chance to speak to a number of Groups, with more meetings still to be held. Amongst the large number of questions and detailed discussion, a few important questions and misunderstandings have been raised. These issues are dealt with below:
Neither Option A nor Option B have final plans. They are both at the concept design stage. These are the two concept designs which have been put forward by the building subcommittee. The time has come to concentrate on one option so that we can start applying for grants, making applications to Council and speaking to neighbours. In line with the Management Committee’s policy of as much member input and consultation as possible, this choice is being put directly to members rather than being decided by the Committee on behalf of the members.
An administrative mix-up has led to an earlier draft of the concept designs being sent to some Convenors. These incorrectly show a large office on the first floor of Option A (2 floor option). This room should in fact be shown as a workshop. There will be 2 workshops in Option A.
The estimated costs of $1 and $1.5 million for Options A and B respectively are the total estimates. The donation from Mr Leverton will be applied to the chosen Option and has not already been deducted.
The donation from Mr Leverton was originally offered to help buy a separate gallery. When Mr Leverton heard of the need to upgrade our building and our wish to include a gallery, he generously agreed to it being put towards the project rather than towards a separate gallery. The donation was not made for general remedial work.
The Guild has not yet had the final report from the Local Council’s Safety Inspection and we have therefore been unable to get an estimate of the cost of what needs to be done. However, the substantial remedial and compliance work that needs to be undertaken would not differ much from Option A. The major remedial and compliance work we would need to do is to relocate the stairs, relocate the front
door, rebuild the back room, raise the floor level for disabled access, provide a downstairs toilet with disabled access and an isolated store room. We would be able to exclude the lift and, if we did not have not have a dedicated gallery, we could leave the back room as a single story and not build a second floor. The Leverton donation could not be used in this case.
The Management Committee is not planning to take out a loan to cover the building work. It is planned to raise the money first and to commence work when it is all or substantially raised. This will be the subject of at least one or more votes by the members and only by arrangements approved by the members.
It is not feasible to build 2 floors now and add a third later. The existing ‘laneway’ is needed for access for construction and will not be available once stairs or entrance has been built over the laneway.
The vote on August 11 is a choice between two options at this stage. If members choose the 3 floor option, it is possible to scale back to the 2 floor option if funding problems arise later.
The longer construction is delayed, the more likely it is that costs will rise.
Construction must start within 5 years of a Development Application being approved or a new Application will need to be lodged.
Both Options have been designed with a view to reducing ongoing running costs and to be environmentally responsible.
Our Building affects all our members, not only those who can attend the meeting on August 11. A Postal Vote form therefore is included on the Members Only page on the website or in the RECORD on page 9.
Only financial members are entitled to vote. Please note that membership subscriptions are due for renewal on 1 July.
Click here for the Building Postal Vote form - remember to vote and return your form to the Guild Headquarters by 10am on Wednesday 4th August 2010